Mass Effect: Noir
by Gorvar
Summary: An AU Mass Effect Story. Spectre Shepard goes around the Citadel to find out why a Asari archeologist was killed but when the investigation goes deeper, conflicts with crooked cops, arms dealers and a cult called "The Brotherhood of the Old Machine" break out as the fate of the universe hangs in the balance.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The sky is dark as rain pours down like tears from a giant. I feel the water run down my face, which is good since I need the cold to wake up. Two AM on the morning, the hour everyone normal should be asleep, save officers and lunatics. Udina called me fifteen minutes ago, said there was a murder I had to investigate. I didn't even wake up the man I was with, what was his name…Conan, Conbor, Conrad…? Don't know, don't care. I should stop drinking so much.

"Commander Shepard?" the C-Sec pilot pulls me out of my revelry, seems the rain isn't helping much after all. I wave at him I will be fine and I jump out of the shuttle. I can hear it fly off as the winds blows my hair all around. I look up at the high rise apartment building, Terracota tower. A Boone industries apartment, only the rich and the upper crust of the elites on the Citadel life here. That would explain why Udina called me I suppose.

A C-Sec officer runs over to me, a Turian with a scar across his face. I cant help but smile a little and shakes his hand when he offers it.

"Shepard, good to see you." He says with a smile himself.

"Garrus, likewise." I nod and walk with him." How long have you been here?"

"I was with the first patrol car, which was thirty minutes ago." He replies.

"Who made the call?" I ask, but I already get the answer as we enter the tower. A Salarian, crying his eyes out is given a blanket by a compassionate C-Sec officer. Probably not one of Bailey's obviously, she is being polite to the poor smuck for starters.

"The janitor found the victim after he saw a shady figure leave the victim's apartment." Garrus says," He couldn't give us a clear detail what the gender was or what race. Well he said it couldn't have been a volus, Elcor or a krogan."

"Well that narrows the suspects down to only four trillion." I grab a cigarette as I try to find a lighter.

We enter the elevator as Garrus punches in the key for the top floor. "We will have this solved by lunch time." He jokes. He takes out his lighter and lights up my cigarette. He still has my back after all this time, there is no Shepard without a Vakarian. God bless him. I nod at him as I exhale the sweet, sweet gray smoke." Probably have a few firefights in the wards as well, just like old times." He quirks some more.

"Yeah." I say as nothing comes to mind.

We stop at the floor as the doors go wide open. I see more C-Sec officers guarding the apartment as both me and Garrus step in. He has to flash his badge, but not me. Everyone knows Commander Shepard, savior of the Citadel. Fucking Udina and his PR crew.

As I step inside, I notice immediately the victim wasn't a ordinary rich person. Everywhere I see there is Prothean artifacts. Urns, vases, plates, even a reconstructed face bust they managed to recreate from the dead one they found on Eden Prime.

Everywhere I see Officers taking pictures as a few skycars fly past the windows, not knowing or caring what is going on. Garrus takes me to the bed room where the victim is. The large bed is covered in blue blood as the white silk blanket tried and failed to absorb it all. The champagne bottle, still cooled, and two glasses tell me she wasn't alone when she died.

The victim is a Asari, a young one at a glance. She is naked save for the blanket covering her modesty. Her blue eyes stare at me as only a dead man can. My mind goes to the first man I killed, a Batarian when they attacked Elysium Elysium. I remember his cold dead eyes filled with hatred, staring me down as if he was coming back any moment. But her eyes are different, hers were filled with sudden surprise as her young life came to an end so violently? Her throat is the source of the blood, it's been cut open with a large knife.

I kneel down as I try to inspect the wound, it could be anything I guess. Best wait until the coroner is here." Name?" I ask Garrus.

"Doctor Liara Tsoni." He says." She works for the Archeologist Academy on Thessia. She came back last week from a expedition somewhere. We're trying to get someone from the Academy on the horn. So far no luck."

"Keep trying." I stand back up.

"Commander, here faster than expected."

I turn to see Professor Solus enter the room as he immediately puts out his surgical kit and tools. Before I can say anything he slipped his plastic gloves on and is already doing his job.

"I was nearby." I reply.

"Lucky for some." Mordin said." Just came home after Pavarotti Concert at Presidium Concert Hall when call come, barely had time to undo tuxedo."

"Feeling your age, Mordin?" Garrus smirked.

"Will feel better after one hour of sleep." Mordin replied as he holds Dr Tsoni's wrist and feels it." Victim dead for One hour, death instant." He checks her eyes as he flashes a light in it." Drugged before knife slit throat. Possible sexual intercourse, can only tell for certain over autopsy."

I ponder as I think of my next move." We best interview everyone in the apartment if they saw or heard anything, and ask her colleagues and family if they know if anyone knows who she was dating."

"Family might be a problem, Shepard." Garrus says as he is done looking at his omnitool." That's Matriarch Benezia's daughter. One of the Council's top money lenders."

" Which means we'll have heavy pressure on us to crack the case." I rub my brow as I finally feel the full brunt of my hang over kick in." Right then, lets begin shall we?"


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

9 PM, I arrive at the Spectre Office after another night of no sleep.  
I'm taking pills like they are tic-tacs, but they are the only thing that keep me getting out of bed every morning. I put away the intel Garrus send me last night as well. Dr Liara Tsoni, 108 years old. Archeologist at the university of ancient xeno civilizations on Thessia. Recently got back from a dig somewhere unknown and so far no luck in finding her crew who were with her on the dig nor did anyone know if she was In a relationship with someone. I cant help but pop a few more pills as the migraine kicks in.  
The nightmares are still the same. I hold the trigger in my hand. Tick tock. I hear her calling my name. Tick tock. One life versus 300 000. The clock is ticking, I hear Wrex shouting at me to make a choice. Tick tock. I feel the sweat running down as blaster fire is shredding through her shield and armour. Shepard, Shepard….  
"Commander Shepard?"  
I snap back to myself as a Salarian walks towards me. Jondum Bau, a Salarian spectre and one of the few peers I have I trust. "Bau." I shake his hand as I follow him to the morgue." Anything?"  
"Mordin has been working on her all night, best you ask him if he has. Also…Saren wants to talk to you. Now. "  
"I haven't even had my coffee yet…" I cant stop myself from groaning.  
"You know how he gets, Shepard." Bau says with a smile and places his hand on my shoulder." Best get it over with."  
"I hear you." I reply as we stop in front of the morgue." After I talked to Mordin."  
Bau nods." Good luck Shepard, this case smells fishy from the word go."  
I frown." How so?"  
Bau looks uncomfortable, as if he caught himself on telling a secret he shouldn't have. "Bau, you owe me."

The Salaran sighs and nods." You didn't hear this from me. Saren wants to hook you up with a partner. Another Spectre."  
"Another Spectre? Why? Spectre's work alone."  
"I know, clearly they want someone to keep an eye on you. Also there's…rumours Dr Tsoni was onto something big."  
"Big?"  
"We received reports of archeologists ending up dead the past week. Nobody saw the connection until now. That's all I got."  
I nod at him." I'll keep my eyes open, thanks Bau."

I bid my goodbye to the Salarian and go inside to meet another one. Professor Mordin Solus, a gifted scientist/biologist/doctor and possibly an expert at Sodoku now turned medical physician for the Spectres. He is arms deep into a krogan corpse, humming away when I step inside. I cough a little which makes him turn around to see me, a big smile on his face.  
"Commander, good morning." Professor Solus, the eternal optimist.  
"It'll be good if you got me something, Mordin." I reply.  
"Got news." He said as he pulled his arm out of the corpse and pulled the glove off." This way."  
I cannot help but ask." Who's he?"  
"Urdnot Gorvar, got killed last night. Spike bomb, involved in gang warfare. Trying to find all spikes before sending back to Tuchanka." He inhaled." Very time consuming."  
"I see…So, Dr Tsoni."

He takes me to the slab where Dr Tsoni was laying. A white sheet is covering her up until the chin, saving me the autopsy scars left in the stomach area but leaving me to see her stitched throat. As I see this blue angel lay down there, I cant help but wonder why anyone would kill someone so innocent looking. My father's saying came to mind " There is a beast in every man, and it stirs when you put a weapon in his hands.". Mordin takes a sip form his coffee as he takes out his datapad.  
"Toxology report indicates victim was drugged before time of death, no traces of said drugs found in wine glasses or bottle. Found traces of hallucinogenic drugs on lips, tongue, neck, stomach area and diverse other areas."  
"So someone had that stuff on his lips?" I ask.  
He nods." Probable sexual foreplay numbed Dr Tsoni so killed could make move quickly. Tried to find sign of semen but found none. Knowing how Asari procreate, not uncommon. Could be both genders."  
"Murder weapon?" his smile, however macabre of the setting, makes me start enjoying my morning. He pulls out a plastic container showing pieces of metal. I take the container in my hand." A knife?"  
"Yes. According to Spectre computer, cross referenced material is probably a Turian Talon. Commonly used by Hierarchy soldiers and favored by Assassins due to reputation of weapon."  
"A Talon?" I frown at him.  
"Fresh Talon, metal still irradiated from Palaven atmosphere, also explains brittle nature of metal. Normal Talon takes 3 months to "cool down" hence more expensive. Fresh Talons cheaper but also dangerous due to radiation."  
"And also very illegal." I reply." How fresh is this metal?"  
"Very, probably sold to killer hours before death of doctor. Radiation dwindles after separated from other Talons. Cannot help you where it came from though."  
I look at the metal inside." Don't worry, I got a man for that."

My omnitool blinks, I don't need to check it to know it's Saren paging me. I hand the professor his samples back and ask him to keep in touch before I go to Director Arterius' officer.  
I hate this office, it's always half lit with the shutters down halfway. I don't know why he does it, but I guess Saren does it to make people uncomfortable around him. Edgy, more easy to spill the beans. As if the cybernetic arm wasn't enough. The first few times I was nervous, but now I'm to high on my meds and Mordin's news to care.  
"Shepard, you are late." I hear him rasp." Explain yourself."  
"I was doing my job, the one the Council gave to me." I reply. I notice a man standing next to me. Human. He looks well build, a bit of gray hair on the side of his head, blue armour all around and a stern face. "And you are?"  
"Major Alenko." He replied." I'm your partner."

I cant help but blink, another human spectre? So soon? " You are a Spectre?" I look at Saren." When did that happen?"  
"Havent you been watching the news, Shepard?" Saren frowned." This morning, less then an hour ago."  
"Explains the traffic jams…" I reply. Beats having an Turian or a Asari as a partner. Both of those tried to kill me last year during the war. "Welcome to the job, Major."

"Thanks." He replies with a small smile.  
"Thought having a human partner would help things along knowing your previous track record." Saren said as he stands up." Back to business. Matriarch Benezeia is one of the Council's biggest money lenders and a personal friend of mine. You two are the best of our investigators we have."  
"The best?" Kaiden asks.  
"We don't blow stuff up as much as the others do." I reply which gets me a chuckle.

I smirk until I see Saren staring daggers at me.  
"You think this is a joke, Shepard?"  
"No." I reply.  
"Then at least try to act like you are doing your job. I heard you have a lead, go after it. I want constant information on how this case develops, you hear me?"  
"Crystal." I reply.  
"Good, get out." He says. He gives Kaiden a nod before turning back to his papers.  
As we both go outside I already have theories in my head about Major Alenko. I read about his track record. His actions on Feros probably got him this job. Saving 5000 people with a whole planet filled with Geth and killer plants is nothing to snuff at. He is also a protégé of Anderson, probably his only protégé after I joined the Spectres and broke pretty much every rule known to the Alliance manual to save the galaxy from the geth. I had the galactic public watching me, so neither the Alliance nor the Council could fire me or even court martial me. After all I saved their lives. So in secret it was decided I kept my Spectre badge but work solely on cases that go nowhere and stay out of the public eye. A good enough punishment I assume, but it doesn't stop the nightmares coming back at night. I grab a cigarette and curse myself for not having a lighter.

Alenko flashes his lighter on and lits up my cigarette. I instantly start to like this man.  
"Thanks Major." I smile at him, although I'm sure it's wise to keep my eye on him. Anderson only picks the ruthless as his protégé, and Saren wouldn't send me a partner who wouldn't keep tabs on me.  
"No problem." He replies." I saw you smoking enough on the vids to know to bring a lighter along."  
"You don't smoke yourself, Alenko?" I exhale, releasing that sweet sweet smoke from my lungs.  
"Never been a fan." He replies as we both walk to the elevator." I make up my sins by drinking."  
"Really?" I look at him." I didn't want to say anything but your accent…Canadian?"  
"And proud." he smirks." I read your file and saw the vids, I was involved in the war myself."  
"I know." I reply." I read yours. You saved a lot of people on Feros."  
"It was a bug hunt." He replies." Geth came out of the goddamn walls. I saw what you did on Virmire…it wasn't an easy choice."

"It wasn't." It was really. One life against 300 000. And all I had to do with pull the trigger and hear Ashley die and hear her every night for the rest of my life. A fair trade. I had no other choice I keep telling myself, and it's true. But why don't I believe myself then? I shake my head as we reach the sky cars." Right, lead."  
"You got one?" Alenko asks as we step inside the sky car. As I dial in the location I pull up my omni tool with the data send to me." The coroner found traces of a turian metal in the victim's throat."  
"A Talon?" Kaiden asks. He has smarts I don't deny him that.  
"Yeah, a fresh one hence the metal splintered off so easily. There is only one man on the Citadel I know who knows where to buy such weapons."

Fifteen minutes later we arrive at a children's playground where two Asari children are swinging along on the swings. On the bench is their father, a man in his late 30-ties dressed as a cowboy from the old west. You either got to be mad or have massive amount of guts to wear clothing like that for no reason every single day. My eye is drawn to a graffiti on the wall nearby. It has the shape of a hand holding out over a planet as it's eye flares red, I've seen that symbol before on Omega…  
"Is that Luke Boone?" I hear Kaiden ask me. I nod at him. Luke Boone is an Ex-Corsair, One of the few people next to Garrus, Urdnot Wrex and the Quarian Tali Nar Rayya who believed me in the Geth threat to revive an old war ship called "Reaper". We saved each other's lives a lot in those days, and in the end it cost him a lot more than it did me. I haven't spoken to him since we won the war, how can I? The person I killed to save thousands was his fiancé.  
"Stay here." I tell Alenko. He gives a nod and stays put as I walk forward.

"Luke, still wearing the old duds?"  
The man turns around, his blue eyes staring right at me. In one second I'll find out if he has forgiven me or not. The cowboy stands up and walks over to me slowly.  
"Shepard." He says." Long time no see…."  
"It has been." I reply. We both look at each other, not saying anything. The sound of playing children, the birds tweeting and the water steaming nearby seem to get louder, roaring at me. I barely keep myself from falling through my knees as the big lug hugs me and laughs.  
"Long time no see indeed, partner." Luke smiles. " The hell have you been? Didn't you get my wedding invitation?"

"I did, I was on Omega. Couldn't get there in time." I lie with the biggest smile on my face. I'm a monster. He slaps my back hard, not knowing or not caring.  
"Still good to see you." He looks at the playing Asari." Misses is working today, so I took the kids to the playground."  
"You had kids?" I look at him.  
"Two years ago. I met the misses in a bar, we both got drunk…one thing let to another and after Virmire, I just…y'know."  
"Didn't want to end up alone." I nod at him." I understand. How is Kria, it's Kria right?"  
"Yup. She's fine, Garrus and Wrex met her. She's wondering when she'll meet you."  
"Garrus did mention her a couple of times." I reply." I was going to but…you know, busy."  
"Yeah…" this time he knows im lying, but he's not acting on it. His smile changed to a stern and serious frown." What do you want, Shepard? I know your not here to reminance about old times. If you did you wouldn't have brought Kaiden Alenko over there."

"You know him?" I ask.  
"I was a Corsair remember? I got people on the Alliance and other places to know whose who…especially if they just got made Spectre." He folds his arms." And I thought Spectre's work alone?"  
I motion him to sit down on the bench." Last night a Asari got killed, an archeologist. The Killer used a Fresh Turian Talon. The weapon can only have come from someone who sold it to him on the Citadel. You have any ideas who?"  
One of the children wave at their father who waves back with a smile.  
"I promised my wife I would keep my nose clean, Partner…"  
"I'm not asking you to go back on that path, Luke." I reply." I'm asking you if you remember anyone who can sell Illegal weaponry on the Citadel. He has to be fast and smart to fly through the Citadel Fleet's patrols with illegal cargo in tow. Someone really good at flying."

Luke leans back for a moment, thinking before he looks back at me.  
"There's one man I know who can pull off a job like that. He's been doing this ever since the Alliance took his wings for using pain killing drugs during flights."  
I lean in closer." Who?"  
"Chora's Den, ask the barkeep for the Joker."

TBC


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chora's den, 10 PM.

As we walk inside the door we get greeted by an angry looking Krogan bouncer. Both me and Kaiden flash our Spectre badges. Immediately the Krogan steps back and wishes us a good evening. We walk through the small tunnel connecting us from the Ward to the club itself. Graffiti and posters are hanging all around us. Posters for the Citadel movie, some band called the Blue Giants and again that strange hand graffiti I saw before when I talked to Luke. Coincidence?  
The music gets stronger as we leave the tunnel and get into the club properly. The bass and rapid flashes stir the primal inside me. I see men and women from different races dancing provocatively wearing either skimpy dresses or handsome suits. Kaiden looks above me as several Asari dancers dance around a poll. As one of them takes off her top, the crowd goes wild and goes into a frenzy as she throws it into the mob, like a pack of hungry Varren after a bone.

"Tongue in your mouth, Alenko." I smirk as I notice him stood with his mouth agape.  
"Sorry, Shepard." He replies and follows me." I've never been this place before."  
"You don't do clubs?" I ask.  
"No, not the club kind of guy…unless it's a club sand which. I'm more the guy who prefers sitting at home and watch a Blasto movie."  
"I like Blasto." I admit." Something to do after this case maybe?"  
"I like where your head's at Commander." He smirks." So how come you aren't phased by all of this?"

My eye wanders to an man sat on a chair with a bald woman sat astride of him, both kissing each other deeply as she rides him. I notice his belt came off and his trousers were lowered as the scantly clad woman rips off her shameful excuse for a top, revealing her bare back to be covered with tattoos. I see a cowboy hat lay on the ground. I don't see much of the man but I swear I saw him before…

"Shepard?" Kaiden asks.  
I shake my head." Omega is worse." I reply." With worse I mean bigger. Chora's Den is a starting point for Aria T'loak to come take over the Citadel's underworld. Not our problem, not yet."  
"If you say so." The major replies." So, where do you think the Joker is?"  
"I already see him." I motion to a man sitting alone in the corner. He has a bushy beard, but his pale complexion and his frail stature say more than enough about his health. To those who don't know him, he is just a human with frail bones. To people who know him, he is the best pilot the Alliance ever had who fell on hard times.

I walk over to him and sit across, Kaiden sitting next to me to cut off the Joker's exit.  
"Hello Mr Moreau." I smile at him." Long time no see."  
Jeff Moreau AKA The Joker's pale face just got paler." C-Commander." He stammers.  
"You know him?" Kaiden asks.  
"He was my pilot during the Geth War." I reply honestly." Saved my ass more times than I can count."  
"I served with Shepard on the SSV Normandy." Joker says." Best ship I ever flew."  
"Good times." I nod.  
"They were…didn't stop the Alliance from kicking me off it after the war. The only people who got it easy after it was you, Commander. Me, Pressley, Boone, Chakwas…all discharged for following you and your crazy visions. We're lucky we didn't get a firing squad, Admiral Kahoku's words."  
"You know me, Hacket and Anderson did what we could, Jeff…"  
"Doing what you wasn't enough Shepard." His face is turning red." I had to turn in my flight license, I cant even fly a skycar anymore!"  
I cant say no to him. He is right. I let him down, I let my crew down. I saved the universe, saved the Council…at the cost of the respect of my crew, Jenkins and Williams. I have to resist the urge to pop more pills.

"is that why you are flying as a smuggler?" Kaiden saves me out of the fire.  
"Yes I do, Major." Joker glares." I need to fly, I need to pay the bills. I don't want to be just a cripple scrounging of benefits." He stops." Why are you two here anyway?"  
I nod at Kaiden while I take my pills to calm down.  
"Last night a Asari got killed, Dr Liara Tsoni. She was murdered with a fresh Turian Talon. One you sold." Kaiden frowns.  
Joker shakes his head before he takes a large sip from his whiskey." I knew this was going to bite me in the ass sooner or later…"  
"Whom did you sell the Talons to, Moreau?" Kaiden frowns.

My omni tool flashes, I open it up and see a message was send to me just now. The sender is called "Legion", but the IP address doesn't make any sense. He could've send it from here to Earth to Kar'shan. I open it after checking it for viruses, there are none. It says "Shepard-Commander, you are in danger. The Cult of the Old Machine should be considered hostile and demand termination."  
Cult of the Old Machine? Never heard of them before….

"I sold them to two people. One of them was a drell, another…" Joker pauses." Promise me I'll get protection?"  
"Someone higher up the food chain then." Kaiden nods." Sure, you will have C-Sec protection."  
Joker grumbles, but knows he has no choice." I sold the other to a representative of Harold Boone."  
Harold Boone, CEO of Boone Industries. Makes everything from House cleaning tools to war mechs. Recently also got in the cybernetic enhancment department. He is also Luke's older half brother and one of the most powerful men on the Citadel. And also the owner of the apartment building Dr Tsoni was staying and a collector of Ancient relics, both Human and xeno. His Vice President is a woman called Miranda Lawson who according to Alliance intel has ties to Cerberus. Except no evidence is ever found. He will be a though nut to crack.  
"Who is the other, the Drell?" Kaiden asks.  
"I don't know…my boss has the names. I just sit here and wait for the buyers to show up. I only know that other guy because he had the logo on his shirt." Joker replies.  
"Who is your boss, Jeff?" I ask.  
"Skaarnik the weapon of fire." Jeff replies.  
"Skaarnik?" I ask.  
"Batarian terrorist." Kaiden says." He has blown up over fifteen Hegomoney stations and killed three hundred thousand people. All of them Hegomoney soldiers or sponsored pirates. Alliance never knew how he financed his resources or his troops and ships. Until now. He's a weapon's dealer."  
"So he might know the killer then…" I look at Jeff." Where is he?"  
"Omega, he-" he stops talking as the music falls still. The sighs and moans turn to gasps of fear as I hear guns being pulled of their holsters. I throw the table over to us and jump behind it before the first bullet is fired. Kaiden jumps after me and pulls his gun out. Panic and screams of horror sound through the club as everyone seems to be fleeing or pulling their own guns.  
"Shit, shit, shit, shit…I knew this was going to happen, shit!" I hear Joker complain." I should've done moonshine, but no!"  
I pop my head over the table as I take a shot at who is firing at us.

A group of men from different races, wearing dark hoods fire at us. But not with guns. I cant see much because of the panic but I think they…use their own limbs?  
"Shepard, they are using their own hands! Cyborgs!" Kaiden shouts at me over the gunfire.  
Cyborgs, another invention of Boone Industries. I never thought they got into weapons so soon though.  
Several others of the patrons join us in our fight, including the bald woman and her lover. I cant see much but for a moment I thought I saw Luke in this man. Must be the hat.  
I see the Krogan bouncer go down, covered in blood as the bartender meets a similar fate. I see a few Alliance marines making a text book stand maneuver, I hope out of everyone they make it out. One of the few drugged out folks stands up, confused. He didn't stand a chance as they cut him down. I feel something wet on my cheek and guess it's blood. Kaiden is shouting at me, his face looks worried. I tell him I'm fine and continue firing as the adrenaline kicks in.  
I hear the bald woman shouting but it goes lost in the chaos, something about destroy. But even with her biotics, which are off the maps compared to Kaiden's, the cyborgs are nearly unstoppable. I push Joker's head down, promising him I wont let him get killed. No-one dies. Not again, not on my watch.

I pop my head over the table again but duck down just in time as a bullet nearly takes my head off. "We cant hold on much longer!" Kaiden shouts as he reloads. My omni-tool flashes again, the message opening itself. It reads "Reinforcements inbound, standby." Signed by… Legion.  
The ceiling breaks open as C-Sec storms in and takes out the Cyborgs. I see Garrus in his Gunship, making headshots like no others and even Luke firing away old west style. How did they both know I was here? We take out the last one. The world moves slower now and I feel cold. I go for my cigarette and lit it up. I feel cold now, shaking.  
Garrus walks over, asking me if I'm alright. I don't know how to reply.  
A moment later he is gone and there is a note someone slipped in my hand.  
Tomorrow, Boone industries HQ. 10 AM sharp. Signed by Harold Boone.  
Somehow I don't think this is a simple murder case anymore.

TBC


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I am on Virmire again. I know it's a dream, that any time i can wake up. But I'm there again.  
The geth are swarming over the nuclear power plant base. If they overwhelm it and defuse the bomb they will destroy the city across the continent. 300 000 souls. I hold the trigger in my hand which will activate the bomb which will blow up the facility. However if I die, the woman I left behind will die in a sea of fire. Luke is shouting at me, demanding we set the ship down to rescue her. He pulls a gun, I hear Ashley's vitals dropping as the geth's beams perforate through her armour. Tick tock. I hear Wrex headbutting Luke, shouting for me to make a choice. Tick tock. I hear her calling her fiancé's name. Tick tock…I pull the trigger, and it all goes white.

I wake up from my nightmare, again covered in sweat. My heart is raising, my head is spinning. I take a moment to calm myself before I go to the bath room and take some medicine. I swallow it all down, flushing it with water. I look at the clock, 4 AM. At least I had three hours of sleep.  
I stare into the mirror and look at the monster I've become. Is this the hero of the Citadel? A insomniac who takes pills to wake up and function? A soldier whose worse than nothing in a gunfight? The rage rises up in me and I punch the mirror hard. Small bits of glass go flying, replacing my face with several smaller versions as the glass cracks. My hands starts bleeding, it takes me a moment to notice and a few more to apply some medi-gel on it.  
I force myself to eat something, and I wait till 9 o'clock when Kaiden will pick me up for our appointment with Harold Boone.

He dropped me off at home after that firefight in Chora's den. He asked me if I will be fine, I lied and said I would be fine. I cant trust him, for all I know he is reporting back to Saren. To the Council. To Anderson. I even made sure Garrus would hold up his promise to put Joker in a reliable protection program. Paranoid, another fine trait to add to me growing resume.  
I wait until the doorbell goes and get up. I open the door as Kaiden nods at me.  
"Sleep well?" he asks. I give a nod and take my seat next to him in the skycar as he drives us off to Boone tower. Kaiden doesn't ask about last night, if it's normal I froze after that fight. He saved me several times, both from Joker's accusations and when C-Sec came in. What game are you playing, Major…? He's waiting for me to say something. I best open my mouth.

"So what do we know of Harold Boone?" I ask Kaiden. Let's see how much you know, little spy.  
"Harold Boone is the CEO of Boone Industries and one of the most powerful men on the Citadel." He says." So powerful when the sex tape leaked out of him and Miranda Lawson, not only did every single person who downloaded it find his video missing the next day, even those who downloaded it to an external drive, but five hundred credits from their bank account was "donated" to a Quarian homeworld fund. Two days later a janitor for Boone Industries was found dead near the Keeper tunnels. No connection of course."  
"And all for a sex tape that wasn't worth much.." I take out a cigarette and light it.  
"You saw?" he asked.  
"Here's a thing about human curiosity Kaiden, if you ban something people will try to find out why it was banned. Needless to say when I found said tape I wasn't to pleased. It was a office camera so it was easily hacked and to see some people have sex on a office desk it wasn't to much to look at. Hell I wouldn't have given it five hundred credits but there you go."

"Well, saves me the trouble then." Kaiden chuckled." So why do you think he called us?"  
"Several men with cybernetic upgrades tried to kill us after we found out he bought a knife which was used to kill an archeologist who lived in one of his apartments. Either option A he is luring us into a trap or B…" I exhale the gray smoke, savouring it.  
"B?" Kaiden prods after I take to long to answer.  
"This rabbit hole is deeper then it looks." I reply." Any leads on that drell?"  
"I called in a favour from Bailey." Kaiden said." According to him, one of the external shuttle logs mentions a drell bought a ticket for a shuttle to Omega."

Boone tower can already be seen from this part of the Citadel. It's taller than the other buildings around it, towering over them pardon the pun. The air ships carrying neon lit signs of Boone Industries increase as we get closer to it. Security mech adverts, new cars, school equipment. It has become part of the city view of the Citadel so much you stop paying attention. Except the new advert along the building draws my attention. It shows a man and a woman, the race switches from human to turian to two asari and so forth, holding hands as they have some cybernetics placed around several parts of the body. The text changes as well. "Imagine a world without mental handicaps, without Parkinson or Alzheimer. A world where you can have your limbs back, better than before. To transcend the limits our makers gave us. Imagine no more, the Second Renaissance is now."  
"People fall for that?" Kaiden asks.  
"Harold Boone just made three million credits when you just asked, you tell me." I reply.

We park the skycar on the parking plot and walk inside. The lobby is filled with people from different races with several cybernetic upgrades. Some visible, others not so much or none. We walk to the Asari at the desk who smiles at us.  
"Welcome to Boone Tower, headquarters of Boone Industries. My name is Anira, how can I help you?"  
"I am Commander shepard, this is Major alenko." We both flash our badges." Your boss wanted to talk to us."  
"Oh of course, my apologies I didn't recognize you." She smiled as she gave us two name tags." Just head over to the elevator and flash these at the terminal, it will take you straight to Mr Boone's office."  
"Thank you, miss." Kaiden smiles and nods as we both head over to the elevator.

We step inside and flash the nametags. The doors close and we skyrocket toward the topside of the building. We watch outside as we rise above the clouds of the presidium and the skycars. I wonder idly how long it would take for me to hit the ground if I would fall. Five minutes? Did Ashley have five minutes to think about how her life ended? If her sisters would try to march on without their big sister? If Luke would move on with someone else? Naming his daughter after her?

Kaiden is humming something which raises my brow. He stops, offering a quick apology before the doors open. Harold Boone's office is strikingly very different from whatever Luke is. Portraits hang on the wall, tracing the Boone family line back to the end of the 18th century. White marble statues of beauty are all around. I even see a skull on his office table, a memento mori. Everything screams renaissance. Even his antics collection to the side which has several alien bits seem to fit in nicely despite the fact that some items were separated decades to thousands of light years. Save for the freshly made Turian Talon.

At the desk I see Harold Boone writing something down with Miranda Lawson stood next to him. Both wear fancy business people clothing, even from this far I can smell the cologne and the perfume. Acting as if that sex tape never happened. You can act all enlightend as you like, you are just as human as us, Harold Boone. A animal.  
"Ah Commander Shepard, Major Alenko." Harold says with a smile and gets up, offering his hand. I remain stood while Kaiden does the effort to go over and shakes his hand and Miranda's." Please sit down." He motions to the two chairs that suddenly pop up out of nowhere. Hologram?  
We both take our seats. "Can I get you anything? Tea, whiskey?"  
"No thank you." I reply, looking at Miranda for a moment.  
"Is there a problem, Shepard?" She asks.  
"I didn't expect you would be here to." I reply.  
"Miranda is my second in command and one of the few people I trust in this business." Harold says with a smile." Whatever you have to ask me, you can ask her."  
"I rather it's just us, Boone." I reply.  
"Afraid I will hear Alliance secrets and spill them over to Cerberus?" Miranda folds her arms." I heard the rumours Commander." She looks at Harold." It's fine Harold, I have a meeting to go to anyway." She pecks his cheek." See you at dinner."  
"See you at dinner, dear." He replies.

I watch her walk off, her hips swinging left to right. Kaiden cant help but keep looking, I cough which brings him back to the present.  
"You called for us." I say.  
"Yes I did." Harold says." I have clues that might aid in your search."  
"Why?" Kaiden asks. Harold holds up his hand.  
"Please, please, let us proceed in an orderly fashion. I know both the Alliance and the Spectres are looking into Miranda's past and are looking for any reason how just or unjust to throw her in jail. I would like that to stop."  
"We have evidence that might link you to a homicide, Mr Boone." I glare at him.  
"Might is a key word, Commander Shepard. Also it's quite hypocritical coming from an Earthborn who made a living doing all kinds of morally dubious things before enlisting into the alliance to save some jail time." He replies, all kindness gone and replace by a cold calculating voice.  
Kaiden does not look at me, but I know he must be shocked by this revelation…or not if Saren told him, or Anderson. " I changed."  
"People don't change that much. Some people are born wolves, some are sheep. You may be wearing sheep's clothing but you teeth are shining through, Commander." He leans forward." Do we have a deal?"

"Done." I reply." Now, what do you know?"

Harold smiles and leans back." The talon which you saw I indeed bought of Mr Moreau through one of my employees. I however did not know a similar weapon was used to kill Liara."  
"You and Dr Tsoni were friends?" Kaiden asks.  
"Yes."  
"How close?"  
"If you imply we had an sexual relationship Major, I'm sad to disappoint you. I prefer terran woman, and I have been in a good relationship for several good years now." Harold replies." No, me and Liara met at a gala a few years ago. Unlike the other Asari who were stuck up and vain, she was reserved and did much to hide her brilliance at her field. So when she pitched the idea of an expedition I gladly financed her dig. That dig put her on the map and gave me several nice artifacts. A few weeks ago she came to me with another dig. She claimed to have found a way to Illos. "

"illos?" I ask.  
"A prothean world, lost through the echoes of time. As always I helped chip in as well as a Volus called Barlo Von. A few days ago they came back and Dr Tsoni was going to make a shocking reveal to the universe…but sadly was killed two days ago."  
"Who killed her?" I ask.  
"The same men who tried to kill you." He replies." The so-called Brotherhood of the old Machine. When my source told me you were headed to the man who provided their killer his weapon I send my top men to make sure you both stayed alive until C-Sec came to save you."  
"What source?" I ask.  
"You know him as Legion. Before you ask I have no idea who he is, but if it weren't for him you both would be dead by now."  
"And the top men…those were the woman with the tattoos and the gunslinger?"  
"Jack aka Subject Zero and John Boone, my baby brother. They both met in Purgatory during the former's escape. Since then they have been a Bonny and Clyde gun for hire couple." Harold stands as he explains and goes over to the antics collection. He picks up the turian talon and hands it over to me." You can investigate this weapon if you like, but you will find it has not been used."

I put the weapon down and use my omni tool to scan it. The profile matches EXACTLY like the talon Mordin investigated.  
"And the cybernetic men?" Kaiden asks meanwhile.  
" Not my tech, as your top minds both at C-Sec and the Spectres have pointed out I'm sure." Harold replies." However I found something interesting…" He types something on his monitor and soon it shows a news channel. In the upper left corner it shows OMEGA TV with a news report of a cybernetic woman gone insane. It shows a woman, human, who was clearly upgraded using her weapons and claws to kill all those around her as she shouts in pain and agony.

"This happened yesterday, the woman disappeared in Omega's sewers." Harold says.  
A cybernetic woman, an arms dealer and a drell who bought an turian talon. All three lead to Omega.  
"Thank you very much for your time, Mr Boone." Kaiden says and stands up as I do." And we will honour our bargain."  
"One more question." I have to ask." As a man who barely looks after his brothers, why do you want us to help your girlfriend?"  
"Who said I didn't?" Harold smirks." As for Miranda…we both have a similar relationship with our fathers. You never wondered how Luke shot so well? How John moved so fast or how come I'm so intelligent? Steel is strong Commander, but the flesh is stronger."  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Kaiden asks.  
Harold merely gives us a smile and sits back down." Once a wolf, always a wolf. Good luck to you both."

On the elevator ride down I make the call to Bau while Kaiden makes the call to the Alliance.  
At the end he looks at me." I just got an message from a Lt James Vega, he said he just picked up Barlo Van."  
"One of Dr Tsoni's financers?" I ask.  
Kaiden nods." He says he knows what they found on Illos."

TBC


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The smell of old coffee and donuts greet my nostrils as I step in the Alliance embassy, like nothing changed in the past few years. last time I was here Anderson and I seemingly burned every bridge that connected us and if it weren't for my spectre status chances are I would've been court martialed and discharged to. And yet here I am, entering the office of a man I once dared call mentor…a father I never had.  
He is standing with his back to my, arms held behind him as he looks over the presidium. Just where I left him. Except I can see how much he aged in the past two years when I see his reflection in the mirror. His waist got bigger, his hair started to grow grey. He looks better dressed then usual though and I can smell a new cologne. I think of the rumours I heard of Anderson the past few weeks, about how he and some professor woman are living together now. Whats her name, Landers? Flanders? Sanders, that's it.

Kaiden nudges me which brings me back to the present.  
"Admiral." I stand at attention, years of discipline kicking back in.  
"Commander." He turn around and gives me a cold nod." Major."  
"We heard Lieutenant Vega is here with a Volus, Sir." I say." A certain Barlo Von."  
"They both are in the bunker." Anderson replies." We had to provide covering fire to stop those cyborgs chasing them from entering the embassy."  
"The cyborgs?" Kaiden asks." They came this close?"  
"Haven't you been watching the news, son?" Anderson shakes his head." Yes they got really close. Good thing the Elcor ambassador was packing heat and helped us out, who knows how it would've ended."  
The Brotherhood of the Old Machine risked attacking a Council member's embassy to get this one Volus? I heard of religious zealots before but even this sounded reckless, especially when C-Sec is ten minutes away from any major gunfight on the Presidium. Fifteen if they hadn't been bought that week.

"Where are they, sir?" I ask.  
"Downstairs." Anderson replies." Before you question them I want to know how much you know of this investigation."  
"An Asari archeologist getting killed gets the Alliance's attention?" I was going to add, and Virmire didn't but I hold my tongue. This bridge hasn't been tested yet.  
"This has grown larger than just a homicide, commander." Anderson says." Over the past few days, these cyborgs have been popping up on sixteen different worlds. One of them is Eden Prime."  
I recall the burning city, the strange octopus like spaceship going back to orbit, the geth's garbeld speak. Jenkins…  
Kaiden seems to be thinking what I'm thinking." You think the geth are connected?"  
"They went after the prothean beacon and something else we found, we're not sure what it is yet." The admiral says." This is all connected to Professor Tsoni's death…and an Asari that worked for us."  
Both Kaiden and I look at each other. An alien working for the Alliance? Odd to say the least…  
"I'll tell the Admiral what we know so far Shepard, you can talk to Vega if you like."

I nod at him and walk off. Go on little spy, tell Anderson my dirty little secrets. I go down the steps to a bunker of sorts. Two marines salute at me as one opens the door. I give a faint nod and I go inside. As I step inside I wonder…hope this is a trap. Just a empty room and as I turn around I get riddeld by bullets, finally knowing peace. But there is no empty room. Just an scared Volus, hugging itself in the corner as a beefy Hispanic is playing cards with an VI. He looks up at me and gives me a smile. I'm probably the only human being he has seen all night since the VI and a catonic Volus aren't the best of company.

"Commander." He gets up and offers his hand which I gladly take." Lieutenant James Vega, at your service."  
I nod back at him." Mind if I play a game with you?"  
"Gracias." He says as he grabs the deck and shuffles it." I beat the Vi several times and Barlo…well he hasn't been talking sense since they gave him to much Medigel."  
"The cyborgs shot him?" I ask.  
"Si, he was bleeding heavily when I got to his office building." James says as he gives me my cards." Had to drag him out, gunning my way through."  
"I see you were suggested for the N7 program with a reason then, Mr Vega." I smirk at him, putting on my old jovial mask. " So how do you know Barlo Von here?"  
"I don't, first time I met this carbon I had to save his ass from that cult." James says and lays down some chips." I found him when I found a file with his name on it on Treeya's desk."  
"Who?" I ask and follow him with my chips.  
"Treeya Nuwani, she was an Asari anthropologist." James stops for a moment.  
"You two were…close?" I ask.  
"We slept together a few times, it was a friends with benefits thing. We both were stationd on the same ship at one time. The SSV Everest under Admiral Mikhailovich. She was assigned to the ship for alien interactions, we were and still are new to the galactic community. We hit it off there. She died two days ago, knife to her gut."  
Two days ago, just like Liara. "Where were you when she was killed?"  
"I was assigned on the SSV Hastings as part of the 63rd Scout Flotilla. We do short scouting routes around Citadel space. I was going to Treeya's apartment after I docked here two days ago. I was the one who found her…"

"My condolences. You have any idea why someone did this to her?" I ask him.  
"Two weeks ago she told me that she was going on a dig to some planet called Illos, which was this lost Prothean world or whatever. Apparently they found something there which riled up these Cyborgs. What it was and where illos is I don't know. The only person who knows is Von here and he is not coming out of his coma any time soon. Doc Chakwas says it's a few days probably."  
I nod at him and play a few games, changing subject to something lighter.

An hour or so later I come out of the bunker as Kaiden waits for me outside.  
"Anderson had to leave." he says as he walks with me. " Udina called for him."  
Done telling him all my secrets, Alenko? No, look at him. He is still shaking like he was in a fight. He stood up for me again, why? Whats your game Kaiden?  
"You alright?" I ask him.  
"Yeah, yeah…just didn't sleep to well is all. Catches up to me by noon."  
I nod at him." Well from what I got from Vega is that Von knows where illos is and what Dr Tsoni found. However since he is still catonic it can take a while."  
Kaiden nods." I got from Anderson that the excavation crew consisted of an Archeologist, an anthropologist, a starship captain, a security team and a navigations officer. All are dead within those two days…excluding Barlo Von who got lucky. Same MO, knife to the gut. I had Mordin check out those cases and it was from different kinds of daggers."  
"Makes sense since they are all from different killers." We step outside as I lit my cigarette." Which means all our leads point to Omega."  
"Not our jurisdiction." Kaiden says." Saren will pop a casket."  
I give him a smirk." All the more reason to do it then. Get us a ship and give clearance for Joker to be released out of jail. He owes us one, he might as well be our pilot for this."  
"You are going to release our only suspect, commandeer a ship and go outside of Spectre jurisdiction just to find this drell and his arms dealer?"  
"A old man taught me a motto." I exhale before I turn to Kaiden." If you do something, do it properly and damn the consequences."  
"Nice saying…who said it?"  
I douse my cigarette and step to the sky car." David Edward Anderson. Get on the phone Major, I want to be on Omega before happy hour starts."

TBC


End file.
